The Best $1,000 You Can Spend on Your House Before Tariffs Kick In
Written by
Sean Bryant
Edited by
Amber Barkley
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For homeowners who’ve dragged their feet on home upgrades, the pause on President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs is an opportunity to make purchases before price tags increase even more.
While it’s still too early to know for certain how the tariffs will affect prices or the real estate market, U.S. homeowners may want to make purchases now rather than waiting for the pause to end to boost their home’s value.
What To Know About the Tariffs
At the beginning of April, Trump announced a 10% baseline tariff on all imports to the U.S., along with higher reciprocal tariffs on imports from 90 countries.
However, just days after this announcement, the president issued a 90-day pause until July on the higher reciprocal tariffs. Some tariffs remain in effect, including the 10% tariff on all imports, a 25% tariff on various imports from Mexico and Canada and a 145% tariff on goods from China.
What Should You Buy Now
If you’re nervous about the cost of your shopping cart increasing, consider this list of the best $1,000 you can spend on your house now — before the reciprocal tariffs kick back in a couple of months from now.
Electronic Appliances
Consider buying small electronic appliances you may need to replace or upgrade, like an air fryer, blender or microwave. China makes a significant number of electronic appliances, and although higher tariffs are already in effect, consumers may continue to see significant price increases on these products in the coming months.
You can even buy multiple appliances for under $1,000 at current prices.Â
Tile
Are you planning on renovating a bathroom and purchasing tile? While $1,000 is probably not enough to cover the cost of tiling an entire space, putting that amount towards your tile purchase now could save you in a couple of months. Or you could tackle a smaller tiling project, like a backsplash.
India is one of the top countries from which the U.S. imports tile and is on the list of countries impacted by Trump’s reciprocal tariffs. When the pause elapses in July and the higher tariffs go into effect, consumers can expect a price hike in tile cost.
Bathroom Fixtures
If you’ve exhausted the use of your old shower head and are in the market for a new one, consider buying one now, before prices on bathroom fixtures continue to rise.
Purchasing bathroom and other plumbing fixtures now may allow you to take advantage of suppliers’ current inventory, which may be priced lower than what you’ll find this summer.
Lighting
Unsurprisingly, the U.S. imports a significant supply of light fixtures from China and other countries on Trump’s list for reciprocal tariffs. Consumers in the market for new home lights can expect price increases in the coming months.
Like purchasing tile, buying now may allow you to purchase the light fixtures you want without sacrificing your budget.
Editor’s note on political coverage: GOBankingRates is nonpartisan and strives to cover all aspects of the economy objectively and present balanced reports on politically focused finance stories. You can find more coverage of this topic on GOBankingRates.com.
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